The present invention relates to a connection lift used for drilling and completing hydrocarbon wells and landing heavy loads in a well. The term “drill string or landing string component” means any component with a substantially tubular shape intended to be connected to another component to constitute either a string for drilling or performing operations within a hydrocarbon well or a landing string for landing heavy loads in a well. A drill string or landing pipe component may have two extremities with tool joint portions, a male ‘pin’ connection and a female ‘box’ connection, both of which may be threaded to allow connection to another pipe component.
When a drill string or landing string is taken apart, removed, or connected, connection lifts are used to attach to an area on the drill string or landing string component being removed from, or connected to, the drill string or landing string, such that the drill string or landing string component is suspended above the borehole by the connection lift. Drill pipes may be lifted one component at a time, or multiples of more than one component may be pulled out, run in, and stored as a group. An elevator device may be used to supplement the connection lift to lift or lower an assembly comprising a tubular component and the connection lift.
A connection lift may be used to attach elevators to tubular components such as a drill pipe or drill collar. Connection lifts may be used on components in a drill string or landing string such as drill pipes, heavy weight drill pipes, drill collars, and the parts which connect drill pipes, heavy weight drill pipes, and landing pipes known as tool joints.
Connection lifts may clamp onto or screw onto a string component. In particular, the present invention relates to threaded connection lifts. A threaded connection lift may be a short section of tubular pipe with threads on one end to connect to string components being handled, and a nub or bail on the other end to connect to an elevator.
Conventionally a connection lift comprises a single integral part, adapted to a specific type or size of pipe. When creating a new borehole, a hole may be drilled to a large diameter and small depth, casing may be inserted and cemented into place, before a smaller diameter hole is drilled to a deeper depth, requiring a new size of drill bit, and a new size of casing to be installed. In other words, as the well may get concentrically smaller and deeper, changes in tool and tubular component sizes may be required.
For each type or size of component whether in the same string, or in a different string, a specific corresponding connection lift must be used. Use of a different connection lift for each application requires both storing and swapping of connection lifts on the rig, which increases material and operational costs. Changes in connection lifts to accommodate the components to be lifted or lowered are costly.
Connection lifts must bear the weight of the components they are lifting or lowering, and undergo high cyclic stresses. Depending on the application, connection lifts may therefore withstand a variety of loads, and may be manufactured from different materials.
Typically, conventional connection lifts present on a rig are supplemented by additional tools, specifically adapted to the application at hand. A tool change is required, and the elevator system to be adapted to different connection lifts and tubes, increasing operational costs and down time.